Thales welcomes launch of defence technology centre
19 February 2009
Chris Jenkins, managing director of Thales Australia, said the launch of the DMTC by the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator the Hon Kim Carr, the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon Warren Snowdon, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, the Hon Greg Combet, represented an important step forward for Australia's defence capability.
Jenkins said Thales was proud to be a commercial partner in the DMTC, which brings together Commonwealth, state and industry partners to ensure Australia's defence forces remain at the forefront of scientific and technological developments.
"The DMTC will have a key focus on protective armour, which is critically important for the protection of Australian forces on active service in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
"We have demonstrated in the successful Bushmaster program that Thales Australia has the technical expertise to design and manufacture a world-leading protected mobility vehicle that is now proving itself on active service.
"The launch of the DMTC at the Thales Protected Mobility facility in Bendigo reflects the success of the Bushmaster in saving the lives of Australian and Dutch soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"As new threats emerge, it is important that we consolidate our knowledge base and continue to develop protective systems to cope with the changing operational environment in which Australian troops find themselves.
"Involvement in the DMTC is an indication of the long term commitment of Thales to ensuring that Australian troops have the best possible protection."
About Thales
Thales is a leading international group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales's expertise in its core markets spans the entire value chain, providing all the capabilities its customers require, from equipment and systems to comprehensive support services, and including prime contracting on large-scale programs. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with revenues in 2007 of AUD21.5 billion.
Thales Australia is a trusted partner of the Australian Defence Force and is also present in commercial sectors ranging from air traffic management to security systems and services. Employing around 3,600 people in over 35 sites across the country, Thales Australia recorded revenues of more than AUD1 billion in 2008.
Press contact
Libby Noble
Thales Australia
+61 (0)2 9562 3150
+61 (0)434 155 881
libby.noble@thalesgroup.com.au
Julian Elliott
Thales Australia
+61 (0)2 9562 3716
+61 (0)401 134 415
julian.elliott@thalesgroup.com.au
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